The senior officer in overall charge of policing the G8 summit defended the handling of street protests in Edinburgh.

Chief Constable of Fife Constabulary Peter Wilson denied police had been unnecessarily intimidating or present in too-large numbers on the streets of the capital on Monday, after the presence of hundreds of officers, many clad in riot gear, sparked criticism over police tactics.

Later, Tayside Police chief constable John Vine said he would not tolerate any action that compromised the safety of the public, peaceful protesters or police officers, saying at a press conference in the nearby town of Auchterarder: "We will deal robustly with any people who want to break the law, let's make that very clear.